


Atop the Tower of Demise

by KiraLioden



Series: But Sometimes, Love is Sacrifice [2]
Category: Persona 3
Genre: Alternate Universe - Twins, Gen, You may ask 'are those warnings accurate?', i'll get back to you later, the answer is idk man i'm only on the first chapter of this short thing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-01
Updated: 2021-02-01
Packaged: 2021-03-12 05:08:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,332
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29130060
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KiraLioden/pseuds/KiraLioden
Summary: The Promised Day has come.
Series: But Sometimes, Love is Sacrifice [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2137506
Comments: 2
Kudos: 7





	Atop the Tower of Demise

The world had never seemed smaller than it does atop Tartarus’s peak, with the moon reaching down from the heavens to touch the Earth with its frigid glow. Underneath, the still air weighs heavy like a blanket of silence, wrapping them all into its muted anticipation. Perhaps the oppressive atmosphere would have been easier to tolerate, had they not just ran through ten floors just before. But they had, and thin wisps of mist curl from his mouth as he struggles to catch his breath. The others are not faring much better.

Still, a small sense of pride washes over him as he looks over his teammates. To be told that all efforts to resist Death was futile, and still climb all this way… it’s a testament to all their determination—their refusal to accept this so-called fate. Even as they hunch over or lean on their weapons for support, the will to fight for a future still burns bright in their eyes. He is no different.

Yet he can’t help but shiver as the world grows colder around them and feathery Shadow bits coalesce into a far larger entity. Yamagishi gasps behind him as it lands upon Tartarus’s final floor and Kirijo stiffens; with how their Personas are, they must have sensed the extent of its power. But as he gazes up at the giant four-winged harbinger of the world’s end, there’s nothing in his heart but sorrow. The porcelain mask it wears, carved with an almost haughty, knowing smile… it’s an echo of what used to be, but it stabs his heart all the same.

And the others… they recognize it, too. Beside him, Hamuko draws a sharp breath, tightening her grip on her naginata until her knuckles turn white. A little further off, Aigis’s guns click as she readies herself to fire.

“Hey, that’s…” Iori begins, the tip of his greatsword dipping to the floor as he trails off.

Takeba notches an arrow in her bow as she finishes for him. “Mochizuki-kun.”

The Shadow that was once Mochizuki Ryoji—now the Nyx Avatar—shifts, spreading its wings and letting its feathers drift down.

“ _ **That was my name for a time,”**_ it agrees. Its voice—his voice—is almost, _almost_ recognizable. _**“I didn’t mind it.**_ _ **”**_

He can feel the Avatar’s gaze drift to him, and the ring on his finger feels like it’s burning. It takes all his will not to wither under it; even if he cares for his family too much to abandon them here and will stand by them to the very end, he doesn’t _want_ to fight anything that reminds him of Ryoji. But Hamuko doesn’t seem to have the same qualms. She steps in front of him protectively, chin held high as she points the blade of her naginata at the Avatar.

“Now’s not the time for reminiscing,” she says. “And you know we’re not here to chat, Ryoji”

“ _ **The one you knew as Ryoji no longer exists.”**_ Maybe he’s hearing things now, but he could have sworn it sounds… sad. Regretful. _**“I am but the harbinger of the Fall… though Nyx and I are now one and the same. Thus, humanity’s greatest fear… the one they wish to ignore**_ _ **despite its inevitability**_ _ **… that is what I am.”**_

“We know that already,” Amada says dryly. At his feet, Koromaru barks his agreement.

“You are what awaits every living being,” Kirijo adds, tilting her head up slightly. “It’s useless to deny its presence, but we will not bow down to a premature end.”

“Yeah. We’ve all made our choice.” Sanada raises up his fists, bouncing slightly on his feet like he’s raring to go. “And I won’t regret choosing to fight. None of us will.”

Hamuko doesn’t lower her weapon, either. “We’ve made up our minds a month ago. You were there to hear it. You should know that we’ll fight to our very last breath.”

“ _ **Perhaps that is true**_ _ **,”**_ the Avatar replies. _**“**_ _ **But**_ _ **there is still mystery around you all. Y**_ _ **ou**_ _ **understand the futility of this endeavor; there is no stopping Death,**_ _ **and you will die either way**_ _ **.**_ _ **Yet,**_ _ **despite knowing this,**_ _ **you continue to try. Do you not carry fear in your hearts?”**_

That is a question his heart aches to answer. Yes; he’s terrified, honestly. But it’s not for him; it’s for everyone around him, the people who grew to mean more to him than just teammates and friends as well as his sister. But the idea of actually responding to the Nyx Avatar is too overwhelming for him to even attempt to do so. But his friends are just as firm—if not firmer—in their resolution to fight, and they have no problems with saying it aloud.

“Of course I’m scared!” Iori shouts. He lifts his blade back up, preparing to swing at the Nyx Avatar as soon as orders allow. “But I wanna _live_!”

“And living means looking death square in the face,” Takeba chimes in. “So I’m not going to run away anymore; I won’t back down, not even to you!”

And Aigis—Aigis, who had only recently learned what it’s like to be human—raises her voice against the Shadow, too. “This world taught me what it means to live. I will lay down my life to protect it—and that is _my_ decision.”

There is a beat of silence falls as the Nyx Avatar considers them all.

“… _ **I see,”**_ it then says, wings quivering ever-so-slightly before abruptly spreading them out to their full extent. He instinctively falls into a fighting stance as it readies its blade, and so does everyone around him.

“Leader?” Takeba says, drawing her bow and taking aim. “Some _instructions_ would be nice right about now.”

Right. He’s got to do this.

“Yamagishi, run an analysis on the Nyx Avatar. Search for any weaknesses or resistances,” he orders, shifting his grip on his sword. “Everyone else, start attacking as soon as she gives the clear.”

“Got it!” Yamagishi doesn’t wait, firing her Evoker and starting to scan the area with her Persona. “It’s immune to Light and Dark spells, but everything else should work,” she says before worriedly looking up at him. “But I’m getting more readings from the floors below. I think the Shadows are trying to climb up here.”

“Then some of us will have to ward them off while the others deal with the Avatar.” Kirijo draws her rapier and looks over at him. “Arisato, can you and your team handle it by yourselves?”

He opens his mouth to say yes, but the words stick in his throat. His heart pounds in his ears. Can he really not muster up the strength to fight the Nyx Avatar? Must he be so weak _now_? There’s no time to waste, especially not here, yet—

He feels a hand on his shoulder, and then, his sister speaks up.

“Let Minato defend with you,” Hamuko says. “And take everyone but Takeba-chan, Iori-kun, and Sanada-senpai. We’ll handle it.”

Wind, fire, electric… and with her Persona’s Bufudyne, those four would cover all non-instant-kill magic types, not to mention that their spread has all physical damage types as well. Even without the wild card ability, she’d have it all under control.

Kirijo must have came to the same conclusion. “Good luck, Arisato. We’ll cover you.”

Hamuko nods at them both in thanks, then turns away to face Death with her team. She’ll be fine. He knows it. But as he moves for the nearest Shadow, Hamuko starts to speak again, and he glances back at his sister.

“When we get out of this alive,” she says as the wind howls and yanks at her hair, eyes faintly glinting behind the mess, “you owe me one.”

His words would have been stolen by the wind, had he spoke, but a nod is all he needs here. He catches the sight of her mouth curling into a smile before they both turn away, ready to face their own enemies.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The fuck am I doing at 3 am on a MONDAY. Writing this, apparently. It's just word vomit.


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